Ream wrap having white or colored poly coating

ABSTRACT

A ream wrapper made of an unbleached (brown) paper or a semi-bleached (tan) paper with a white poly or colored poly coating.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to a ream wrapper made of anunbleached (brown) paper or a semi-bleached (tan) paper with a whitepoly or colored poly coating.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Reams (i.e., 500 sheets) of cut paper (8 ½×11, etc.) for copymachines, computers, printers, and other applications are most commonlypackaged for shipping, storage, and retail sale in ream wrap made ofvarious wrap materials. These wrap materials traditionally have been25-pound per 3,000 sq. ft. paper laminated to a 25-pound paper per 3,000sq. ft. with 7 to 12 pounds per 3,000 sq. ft. of polyethylene. In manycases, the two papers were bleached or white papers. The outside of thewrapper was generally printed to identify the paper mill or distributorof the product. In some cases, the wrapper would be bleached (white)25-pound paper on the outside, but an unbleached or brown paper on theinside laminated together with polyethylene. This type of wrapper wasless expensive and perceived as more environmentally friendly since theinside paper did not go through a bleaching process. The white paper onthe outside still maintained a good printing surface.

[0003] Ream wrapper has recently moved from the lamination of two paperswith polyethylene to a heavier weight sheet of paper, usually 40 to 60pounds per 3,000 sq. ft., coated with polyethylene on one side. Thisproduct is generally stronger and easier to work with than the laminatedproduct. With this change, it was no longer possible to use theunbleached (brown) or semi-bleached (tan) paper if a print surface wasdesired on the outside of the wrapper, as only one sheet of paper wasbeing used. As retail and store distribution of reamed paper hasincreased, manufacturers have placed more emphasis on a ream wrap'simproved printing surface to enhance graphics and provide eye-appealingwrapped product for the customer. Equally important as the aestheticappeal of the outer package is the identification of the manufacturer ofthe wrapped paper through the printed graphics or the color of the outerpackaging.

[0004] Another disadvantage of current and conventional ream wraps isthat they are non-transparent and do not permit the consumer to view thecolor of the reamed paper encased in the wrapper. Viewing the contentsof the wrapped products is important, in particular, when reams ofcolored paper (other than white) are contained in the package.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] A ream wrapper comprising an unbleached (brown) paper or asemi-bleached (tan) paper with a white poly coating. It is an object ofthe present invention for the ream wrapper to have a white print surfacefor the outside of the ream wrap. It is an object of the presentinvention for the ream wrapper to provide a moisture barrier. It is anobject of the present invention for the paper to have a weight betweenabout 25 to 75 pounds per 3,000 sq. ft. It is an object of the presentinvention for the coating to have a weight of about 7 to 15 pounds per3,000 sq. ft. It is an object of the present invention for theunbleached paper to be 40 pound bag and laminating Kraft, 50 poundextensible Kraft, and 60 pound converting Kraft. It is an object of thepresent invention for the white poly coating to be made by mixingpolyethylene or polypropylene with a white dye or pigment.

[0006] The present invention relates to a ream wrapper comprising eitheran unbleached (brown), semi-bleached (tan), or bleached (white) paperwith a colored poly coating. It is an object of the present inventionfor the paper to have a weight between about 25 to 75 pounds per 3,000sq. ft. It is an object of the present invention for the paper to have aweight between about 40 to 60 pounds per 3,000 sq. ft. It is an objectof the present invention for the coating to have a weight of about 7 to15 pounds per 3,000 sq. ft. It is an object of the present invention forthe colored poly coating to be made by mixing polyethylene,polypropylene, or a combination with a dye or pigment. It is an objectof the present invention for the ream wrapper to provide a high qualityprinting surface for the outside of the ream wrap in a color thatenhances printing graphics, instantly identifies a manufacturer of thewrapped paper product, and/or identifies the color of the paper encasedin the ream wrap. It is an object of the present invention for the reamwrap to act as a moisture barrier, protect against physical damage, anduse, more environmentally friendly unbleached (brown) or semi-bleached(tan) paper while still providing an enhanced printing surface. It is anobject of the present invention for the ream wrap color to match thecolor of the paper contained inside the wrapped package.

[0007] The present invention relates to a method of preparing a coloredpoly ream wrapper comprising: mixing polyethylene, polypropylene, or acombination with a dye or pigment to form a poly mixture. The mixture isthen coated on either side of about a 40 or 60 pound unbleached (brown),semi-bleached (tan), or bleached (white) paper.

[0008] The present invention relates to a method for making a white polycoated ream wrap comprising: mixing a blend of low density polyethyleneor polypropylene with a white pigment or dye additive resulting in awhite opaque film. The white film is coated on an unbleached (brown)paper or a semi-bleached (tan) paper.

[0009] The present invention relates to a method of making a coloredpoly coating comprising: mixing a blend of low density polyethylene orpolypropylene with a blue pigment or dye additive resulting in a blueopaque film. The blue opaque film is coated on an unbleached (brown),semi-bleached (tan), or unbleached (white) paper.

[0010] It is an object of the present invention for the poly coating tobe mixed to match a particular shade recognizable of a manufacturer. Itis an object of the present invention for the poly coating to result ina high gloss printing surface, an eye-appealing ream wrap package, amoisture barrier, and a strong packaging material that protects wrappedpaper from physical damage. It is an object of the present invention forthe polyethylene, polypropylene, or polyethylene-polypropylene mix to beblended with a colored dye or pigment that matches the color of thepaper being encased in the ream wrap.

[0011] The present invention relates to a ream wrapper comprising: ableached, semi-bleached or natural paper substrate having a basis weightof between about 25-75 pounds/3,000 sq. ft. The substrate is coated onone side with about 7-15 pounds of polyethylene, polypropylene, polymerresin, copolymer and/or terpolymer resins alone or blended withpolyester. The coating is white or colored with a pigment or dyeadditive that results in a white or colored opaque product.

[0012] The present invention relates to a ream wrapper comprising: asolid plastic film substrate coated with a white or colored poly coatingwhich results in a colored or white film wrapper.

[0013] It is an object of the present invention to allow the use of themore friendly environmentally unbleached (brown) paper or asemi-bleached (yellowish) paper which is also more environmentallyfriendly in the pulping process, while still providing a white printingsurface.

[0014] An object of the present invention is to provide a wrapper thatpromotes instant recognition of the manufacturer and an improvedprinting surface as well as an attractive outer package for theconsumers and end-users to view on office and retail shelves.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0015] In an embodiment of the present invention a ream wrappercomprises an unbleached (brown) paper or a semi-bleached (tan) paperwith a white poly coating. The white polyethylene coating results in awhite print surface for the outside of the ream wrap.

[0016] Examples of unbleached paper are 40 pound bag and laminatingKraft, 50 pound extensible Kraft, and 60 pound converting Kraft.

[0017] In one embodiment, the white poly coating is made by mixingpolyethylene or polypropylene with a white dye or pigment.

[0018] In one example, the white poly coating is made by mixing a blendof low density polyethylene or white polypropylene with a white pigmentor dye additive resulting in a white opaque film. The white poly coatingis then coated on the unbleached (brown) paper or a semi-bleached (tan)paper. The white polyethylene coating results in a white print surfacefor the outside of the ream wrap.

[0019] In a further embodiment, the ream wrapper comprises an unbleached(brown), semi-bleached (tan), or bleached (white) paper having a weightbetween about 40 to 60 pounds per 3,000 sq. ft. coated with about 7 to15 pounds per 3,000 sq. ft. of a colored poly. The colored poly coatingresults in an enhanced printing surface for the outside of the ream wrapas well as a colored outer package that provides instant recognition ofeither paper manufacturer or the color of the paper encased in the reamwrap.

[0020] In an embodiment, the colored poly coating is made by mixingpolyethylene, polypropylene or a combination with a dye or pigment. Thepoly mixture is then coated on either side of an about 40 to 60 poundunbleached (brown), semi-bleached (tan), or bleached (white) paper.

[0021] In one embodiment, the colored poly coating is made by mixingpolyethylene or polypropylene with a blue dye or pigment. The blue polymixture is then coated on either side of an about 40 to 60 poundunbleached (brown), semi-bleached (tan), or bleached (white) paper.

[0022] In an example, the colored poly coating is made by mixing a blendof low density polyethylene or polypropylene with a blue pigment or dyeadditive resulting in a blue opaque film. The colored poly mixture isthen coated on the unbleached (brown), semi-bleached (tan), orunbleached (white) paper.

[0023] In a preferred embodiment, the blue poly coating is mixed tomatch the particular shade of blue recognizable in the packaging of anidentified paper manufacturer. The blue poly coating also results in ahigh gloss printing surface, an eye-appealing ream wrap package, amoisture barrier, and a strong packaging material that protects thewrapped paper from physical damage.

[0024] In another embodiment, the polyethylene, polypropylene, orpolyethylene-polypropylene mix is blended with a colored dye or pigmentthat matches the color of the paper being encased in the ream wrap. Thecolored poly coating then results in a colored wrapper that enablesconsumers and end-users to identify the color of the wrapped product.

[0025] A preferred embodiment comprises a paper substrate (bleached,semi-bleached or natural) with a basis weight of between about 25-75pounds/3,000 sq. ft., and being of any paper type (e.g., machine-glazed,machine-finished, clay-coated, etc.). The substrate is coated on oneside with about 7-15 pounds of polyethylene or polypropylene (poly,polymer resin, copolymer and/or terpolymer resins alone or blended withpolyester) that is white or colored with a pigment or dye additive thatresults in a white or colored opaque product. The final product may ormay not be printed.

[0026] A further embodiment is to use a solid plastic film substrate andcover it with a white or colored poly coating to result in a colored orwhite film wrapper (printed or nonprinted).

1. A ream wrapper comprising: an unbleached (brown) paper or asemi-bleached (tan) paper with a white poly coating.
 2. The ream wrapperof claim 1 wherein said wrapper has a white print surface for theoutside of said ream wrap.
 3. The ream wrapper of claim 1 wherein saidpaper has a weight between about 25 to 75 pounds per 3,000 sq. ft. 4.The ream wrapper of claim 1 wherein said coating has weight of about 7to 15 pounds per 3,000 sq, ft.
 5. The ream wrapper of claim 1 whereinsaid wrapper provides a moisture barrier.
 6. The ream wrapper of claim 1wherein said unbleached paper is selected from the group consisting of40 pound bag and laminating Kraft, 50 pound extensible Kraft, or 60pound converting Kraft.
 7. The ream wrapper of claim 1 wherein saidwhite poly coating is made by mixing polyethylene or polypropylene witha white dye or pigment.
 8. A ream wrapper comprising either anunbleached (brown), semi-bleached (tan), or bleached (white) paper witha colored poly coating.
 9. The ream wrapper of claim 8 wherein saidpaper has a weight between about 40 to 60 pounds per 3,000 sq. ft. 10.The ream wrapper of claim 8 wherein said paper has a weight betweenabout 25 to 75 pounds per 3,000 sq. ft.
 11. The ream wrapper of claim 8wherein said coating has a weight of about 7 to 15 pounds per 3,000 sq.ft.
 12. The ream wrapper of claim 8 wherein said colored poly coating ismade by mixing polyethylene, polypropylene, or a combination with a dyeor pigment.
 13. The method of claim 8 wherein said polyethylene,polypropylene, or polyethylene-polypropylene mix is blended with acolored dye or pigment that matches color of paper being encased in saidream wrap.
 14. The ream wrapper of claim 8 wherein said wrapper providesa high quality printing surface for the outside of said ream wrap in acolor that enhances printing graphics, instantly identifies amanufacturer of wrapped paper product, and/or identifies color of paperencased in said ream wrap.
 15. The ream wrapper of claim 8 wherein saidream wrap acts as a moisture barrier, protects against physical damage,and uses, more environmentally friendly unbleached (brown) orsemi-bleached (tan) paper while still providing an enhanced printingsurface.
 16. The ream wrapper of claim 8 wherein said ream wrap colormatches color of paper contained inside wrapped package.
 17. A method ofpreparing a colored poly ream wrapper comprising: mixing polyethylene,polypropylene, or a combination with a dye or pigment to form a polymixture; coating said poly mixture on either side of an unbleached(brown), semi-bleached (tan), or bleached (white) paper.
 18. A methodfor making a white poly coated ream wrap comprising: mixing a blend oflow density polyethylene or white polypropylene with a white pigment ordye additive resulting in a white opaque film; coating said white filmon an unbleached (brown) paper or a semi-bleached (tan) paper.
 19. Amethod of making a colored poly coating comprising: mixing a blend oflow density polyethylene or polypropylene with a blue pigment or dyeadditive resulting in a blue opaque film; coating said blue opaque filmon an unbleached (brown), semi-bleached (tan), or unbleached (white)paper.
 20. The method of claim 19 wherein said poly coating is mixed tomatch a particular shade recognizable of a manufacturer.
 21. The methodof claim 19 wherein said poly coating results in a high gloss printingsurface, an eye-appealing ream wrap package, a moisture barrier, and astrong packaging material that protects wrapped paper from physicaldamage.
 22. A ream wrapper comprising: a bleached, semi-bleached ornatural paper substrate having a basis weight of between about 25-75pounds/3,000 sq. ft.; said substrate being coated on one side with about7-15 pounds of polyethylene, polypropylene, polymer resin, copolymerand/or terpolymer resins alone or blended with polyester; said coatingbeing white or colored with a pigment or dye additive that results in awhite or colored opaque product.
 23. A ream wrapper comprising: a solidplastic film substrate coated with a white or colored poly coating whichresults in a colored or white film wrapper.